FOREWORD OF CONVENERS

All these aspects have been covered in the 8th Symposium which took place in Valencia on the 1–4 April, 1997. The 67 papers and posters offered covered from the molecular biology and the metabolism of endogenous plant growth regulators to the more applied agricultural aspects, and all these contributions except two withdrawn by their authors are published in full in this Acta Horticulturae which shall be a useful reference publication for everyone interested on plant bioregulators. The 91 participants from 28 countries discussed in four workshops the state-of the-art in the application of plant bioregulators in tropical and subtropical evergreens, and in deciduous fruit trees and wines, as well as two "hot" subjects; Fruit thinning and the Technical and social aspects of the use of plant bioregulators. A mid-symposium excursion allowed the participants to take a glance at fruit production in Valencia, and the social events allowed a deeper insight into our local gastronomy.

For us it was a pleasure to host the meeting and particularly to know that it covered the expectancies as judged from the many letters received from the delegates. Most of this success should be credited to the participants for the quality of their contributions, to the chairmen of the sessions and the workshops, who played a pivotal role in their organization, and to the enthusiastic cooperation of Prof. Bangerth, who came to Valencia to persuade us that organizing the meeting was not so hard and later helped us in every detail.

The meeting was possible thanks to the support by the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia and the Conselleria de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación de la Generalitat Valenciana, under the auspices of which the symposium was held. Also, several firms, organizations and individuals provided generously the many details which turns a symposium pleasant, from the natural orange juice for the breaks (you were at Valencia) to allowing the visits to the orchards and the packing-houses.

Last, but not least we wish to acknowledge and to thank the enthusiastic cooperation from the staff and the students of the Departamento de Biología Vegetal, and particularly to Mr. Vicente Navarro, who cared about every detail from the organization of the accompanying people program to the edition of the Acta volume.

J.L. Guardiola and J.L. García-Martínez
December, 1997


OPENING REMARKS - CHAIR, ISHS FRUIT SECTION

Friends, Colleagues and Honored Guests,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you, on behalf of the International Society for Horticultural Science and its President, Prof. Dr. Silviero Sansavini, to the 8th International Symposium on Plant Bioregulators in Fruit Production. This meeting continues a highly successful series that commenced at St. Paul, Minnesota and Long Ashton, UK in August and September 1972 (Acta Horticulturae, Volume 34 reports both meetings). Since that time it has convened at Poznan, Poland (1977, AH Vol. 80), Ithaca, New York (1981, AH Vol. 120), Rimini, Italy (1985, AH Vol. 179), Penticton, Canada (1988, AH Vol. 239) and Jerusalem (1992, AH 329). The International Organizing Committee was delighted to receive and accept the invitation from Professor Guardiola and his colleagues to meet here in Valencia. I know that this meeting will continue this tradition of excellence.

Research on plant bioregulating chemicals has been an important specialty amongst fruit crop physiologists for more than 50 years and excellent technologies have resulted that benefit the worldwide fruit industry. One can point to successes in stimulating rooting of cuttings, facilitating tissue culture propagation, and promoting branching of nursery trees that are now standard procedures in the nursery trades. Orchardists rely heavily on chemical thinning and other PBR-based crop regulation techniques, PBS to reduce shoot elongation, and on a host of PBR technologies that improve fruit quality. The regulation of fruit ripening with ethylene and other PBS is now standard practice with many important fruit crops. There can be no denying that our research has been both rigorous and useful.

At this meeting we will hear about new developments in all of these traditional areas but, appropriate in this era of rapid advances in molecular biology, we will also learn about new tools and techniques available to all scientists interested in understanding the natural mechanisms of plant biocontrol.

We are pleased to be here in Valencia in one of its most beautiful seasons. We know that Spain is a very important producer of citrus fruits (more than one-half of the total production in the EC) as well as a significant producer of olives, grapes and other deciduous tree fruits and berries. Thus, we look forward to the opportunity to see something of the fruit crop horticulture of Spain.

We are particularly grateful to Prof. José Luis Guardiola, symposium convener, and two of his key colleagues in the organization of this event, Drs. J.L. Garcia Martinez and M. Talon. It is clear that their planning and organizational skills have had a lot to do with the success of this meeting. We also want to recognize and thank the other scientists who served on the Organizing Committee. The facilities at the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia appear to be excellent for a meeting of this size.

As Chair of the Fruit Section I have had the opportunity to attend symposia organized by many of the 21 Fruit Section Working Groups. I am proud of the fact that each of these symposia has produced an informative and well-edited volume of Acta Horticulturae that was delivered to all participants and further distributed around the world by the ISHS.

Like the previous Acta in this series (mentioned above), the Acta from this present symposium will have great value to the participants as a permanent record of the event. Thus, it must be our goal to see that all of the talks and posters are included and that this publishing project is completed as quickly as possible. Furthermore, the Acta must also be thought of as an important product for sale and distribution to libraries, to individual scientists unable to attend this symposium, and increasingly, to producers and others in industry and commerce around the world. It is with these realities in mind that I will work with the convener and with the Working Group Chair, Prof. Dr. Fritz Bangerth, to ensure that this Acta is an accurate, readable and complete record of what was presented.

Finally, a word about the ISHS. Clearly, through the sponsorship of symposia and the publishing of these proceedings, the ISHS is playing a very significant role in promoting and communicating horticultural science on a global scale. I believe that it is worthy of your support as an active member! Indeed, regular participation in ISHS symposia and its quadrennial International Horticultural Congress is an excellent way to build an international network of friends and research colleagues

To conclude, I wish for each of you a very successful symposium and visit to Valencia. Your effort to get here is very much appreciated. I know that your contribution to the program and your active participation in the discussion will make this a meeting we will remember for many years.

Norman E. Looney
Chair. ISHS Fruit Section